Ken Dodd 'third best-selling artist of 1960s'

Dodd, now 82, has been in the industry for more than 50 years

Eccentric comedian Ken Dodd was one of the biggest recording artists of the 1960s, new research has revealed.

His 1965 track Tears was the third biggest-selling single of the decade, according to a newly compiled chart.

The Beatles occupy the top two places in the chart and have an additional three records in the Top 10.

DJ Tony Blackburn counted down the Top 60 best-selling records of the 1960s in a special programme on BBC Radio Two, broadcast on Bank Holiday Monday.

According to sales data compiled by the Official Charts Company, the biggest selling single of the 1960s was She Loves You by The Beatles.

I Want to Hold Your Hand, recorded by the Fab Four in 1963, came second.

The other Beatles records in the Top 10 are Can't Buy Me Love at four, I Feel Fine at five and the double A-side We Can Work It Out/Day Tripper at seven.

Unexpected

Yet Dodd's track - which topped the UK singles chart for five weeks and was the biggest-selling single of 1965 - outsold them all.

"It comes as no surprise to see the Fab Four at number one, but other aspects of the chart are perhaps a little unexpected," said Blackburn.

Jeff Smith, Radio 2's head of music, called the chart "a nostalgic reflection of the enduring appeal of the music of the '60s and the artists that defined the decade."

Dodd, now 82, has been in showbusiness for more than 50 years.

Born in Liverpool in 1927, he is best known for his buck teeth and frizzy hair, tickling stick and his creation of the Diddymen.